• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Obscene remarks by supervisor

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

Ginny Wayne

New member
What is the name of your state? Michigan
I'm currently employed part-time at a non-profit agency. There is a supervisor who since my first day of work has spoken to me in a harsh manner.
This supervisor was sitting in the office and made obscene statements about body parts.
 


Just Blue

Senior Member
What is the name of your state? Michigan
I'm currently employed part-time at a non-profit agency. There is a supervisor who since my first day of work has spoken to me in a harsh manner.
This supervisor was sitting in the office and made obscene statements about body parts.
You didn't actually ask a question, but I assume you want to know what to do. Talk to HR about his comments.


I'm curious...what kind of obscene statements?
 

quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state? Michigan
I'm currently employed part-time at a non-profit agency. There is a supervisor who since my first day of work has spoken to me in a harsh manner.
This supervisor was sitting in the office and made obscene statements about body parts.
Have you told your supervisor that you find his comments offensive?
 

Taxing Matters

Overtaxed Member
What is the name of your state? Michigan
I'm currently employed part-time at a non-profit agency. There is a supervisor who since my first day of work has spoken to me in a harsh manner.
This supervisor was sitting in the office and made obscene statements about body parts.
How many total employees does the employer have? Does the supervisor speak to other employees the same way, and specifically, does the supervisor treat both men and women that way?
 

quincy

Senior Member
If “obscene statements about body parts” are being made by the supervisor, it doesn’t matter if the supervisor makes these statements to one or many, men or women.
 

Taxing Matters

Overtaxed Member
If “obscene statements about body parts” are being made by the supervisor, it doesn’t matter if the supervisor makes these statements to one or many, men or women.
I disagree. All the facts matter. We don't know what the exact statements are nor anything about the context for them — whether it's just to employees of one sex, just one employee or more, it all factors into how strong or weak there is for a case of illegal discrimination.
 

commentator

Senior Member
I can tell this person quickly that there's nothing generally illegal about "speaking to me in a harsh manner." Some supervisors do that, there is no law that prohibits a supervisor from speaking harshly to an employee or treating an employee unfairly or differently than other employees are treated unless it is for a discriminatory reason (as in you are the only woman, the only minority, a member of a protected category for EEOC purposes.) For the most part, it needs to be addressed there on the local level, as in that you tell the supervisor you do not like his tone. Or you tolerate his rudeness and harsh manner, or you find another job where you're not spoken to harshly. A lot of people believe they have a whole lot more protections and that more things are illegal in the workplace than really are.

As for the obscene statements, it sounds like they're said in general, not directed at this one person. While these may be unacceptable, and certainly need to be complained about to someone higher up, if they're not directly pointed at you, try to be general in your complaint. I also would try telling him you don't appreciate this sort of talk. It is very unprofessional, true, but in my experience, some supervisors have a tendency to do this, and have people in the workplace who accept it, talk along with them on the same terms and thus alllow them to set this sort of tone. You probably will not be able to fix this, should probably think about moving on if it is very disturbing to you.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Following are two links to Michigan’s laws on sexual harassment and one link to Eugene Volokh, What Speech Does “Hostile Work Environment” Harassment Law Restrict?, 85 Geo. L. J. 627 (1997):

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/cr_245_68824_7.pdf

https://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-10573_35828_59075-346213--,00.html

http://www2.law.ucla.edu/volokh/harass/breadth.htm

Sexual harassment includes offensive (obscene) remarks made to or by a person of the same or opposite sex. Two examples of sexual harassment, taken from the links above, are: “Talking about or calling attention to another person’s body or sexual characteristics” and “You are told that sexual comments are a part of the job you should just accept, or quit.”
 
Last edited:

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top